Duke and Duchess of Cambridge set to take George and Charlotte on visit to Canada
THE Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are tipped to take Prince George and Princess Charlotte with them on an official visit to Canada announced today.
Kensington Palace confirmed that William and Kate will visit the west of the country in the autumn amid reports that the tour is likely to be in September.
Aides declined to say if George and Charlotte would join them on the tour, which will include visits to British Columbia and the Yukon territory but it is understood that the couple will make a final decision nearer the time on whether to take the children.
As a future King and Queen of Canada they will be anxious to introduce their children to the people of the country, the senior overseas realm, as soon as possible.
It will be the Duke and Duchess's second trip to Canada, which they visited in 2011 on their first overseas tour as a married couple.
A Kensington Palace spokesman said: "The Duke and Duchess are delighted to be returning to Canada.
"They hold very happy memories from their visit in 2011 - their first overseas tour as a married couple. They are really looking forward to seeing other parts of this beautiful country and having the opportunity to meet many more Canadians along the way."
David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, said: "Sharon and I will be delighted to welcome Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Canada.
Sharon and I will be delighted to welcome Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess to Canada
"Their royal tour will take them to the beautiful province of British Columbia and the scenic territory of Yukon. Once again, our true Canadian pride and spirit will shine and be at the very heart of this visit so they can feel at home."
The visit has been planned in outline for more than a year, although the final details of their programme are still to be confirmed. Earlier this month Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau let it be known that he had formally invited the Cambridges and their children and that officials were working on a visit.
Kensington Palace formally announced the visit after it emerged that William and Kate had flown to south-west France with their children on a friend's private jet for a family holiday.
They landed in the small airport of Pau-Pyrenees on Tuesday lunchtime in a £5 million Cessna owned by the Duke of Westminster.
Kate, 34, and others in their entourage were spotted transferring into two waiting blacked-out Range Rovers. Friends have confirmed that William and their children, Prince George, 3, and 14-month-old Princess Charlotte are also with her on the holiday.
A local French newspaper, La Rep des Pyrenees, quoted sources saying the party, which is thought to include the children's nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, were going to stay with relatives.
The cost of the holiday will be paid for by the couple but the taxpayer will pick up the tab for the Scotland Yard protection officers who accompanied them on the plane. A separate, advanced party of detectives travelled out before the family and met them at the airport.
After packing up the British-registered cars the party headed off in the direction of north Bearn and Gers.The couple regularly borrow the Duke of Westminster 's eight-seater jet for private trips and holidays.
Kate & William chat about Prince George at sailing race
The Duke, Gerald Grosvenor, 64, is one of Britain's richest men. He is said to be worth £9.35 billion and his property portfolio includes 100 acres of Mayfair and 200 acres of Belgravia in central London.
His wife, Natalia, is Prince William's godmother while his son and heir, Hugh, became Prince George's godfather at the age of only 22.
The family holiday is confirmation if it was needed that, apart from the occasional engagement, the summer season of working in Britain is over for the royals.